RAMLILA MAIDAN: Witness of Shameful act against Black Money ( MOTISH ) It was just about 3’o’ clock in the morning of 5th June, 2011; I was about to shut down my laptop and go to bed. As I started closing each of the open windows on my system, I noticed that the page of Times of India was flashing the news on the top as “Police in huge numbers entered Ramlila Maidan to evacuate the Ramdev’s followers from the ground.” I shut down the system and right away opened the TV set. Each news channel was doing the live coverage of how the policemen were removing our fellow countrymen who went there in the optimism that their huge presence will force government to bring some of the black money to India. I saw the people struggled a lot to prevent the police to catch Baba, when police were coming near to them they gathered their energy reciting Vande Matram and Bharat Mata Ki Jai.

I saw their eyes were indicative of being woken up suddenly in the middle of sleep. When policemen tried to touch women, some of them pushed them back and some pointed fingers to the police and shouted “Don’t touch us (hath mat lagao). But when men replied in the same way, they got the blows of sticks (lathi). People were moving here and there shivering and sweating terrifically, some sat silent without talking to police. When some followers became aggressive, Baba tried to control them. Baba was asking the followers to sit quietly wherever they are standing. He was asking them not to rush. People were drinking water in sip and passing the bottles to their unknown countrymen. After some time Baba was arrested and followers started to move out from the ground. Some ladies and gentleman who remained adamant not to move out from the ground were forcefully moved out.

After watching all this I went to sleep around 6’o’ clock in the morning, but on the bed also same pictures were coming in front of me. I thought what if I were also one among them; sleeping in the midnight after fasting for the whole day and someone comes and awakes me rudely in midnight with stick and foot, I would have surely retaliated with whatever I would have got in my hand. How the Police Commissioner took this foolish decision? How he thought that everyone present in the crowd will behave in a Ghandian manner? How he assumed that none from the crowd will retaliate and no one will do any sort of mischief? There were chances of big stampede. May be the Commissioner was acting on the orders from the government i.e. the order to evacuate the ground fully before the sunrise at any cost. Almost all Indians are ashamed and fed up with the widespread corruption in our country. All know that behind every corruption and corrupt people, there is direct or indirect back up from mighty people of our system. No one dares to fight against the powerful corrupt system, we all whisper with each other only. But Baba Ramdev and Anna Hazare turned this whisper in to a loud voice and dared to fight against the powerful corrupt system and people. Sensing the impact and finding people on the streets against the anti graft crusade, the mighty government decided to crush the movement and to stop more people to have their physical presence against the corruption and black money. Our government found that Ramdev has taken the permission to hold Yoga Camp only and not to gather people on one platform against the anti corruption movement. Using this loop hole in the process, they crushed the movement ruthlessly and sent a sense of fear among those who are thinking to raise their voice against Corruption and Black Money.

On the same day, I woke up around 10’o’clock and found that all the news channels have made this as their first breaking news (Out of every news as breaking news). For couple of days this was the hottest topic of discussion on the all the news channels. But the strange thing is that immediately media and people started to point out the mistakes in the Ramdev’s agitation. The followings are the main points which were discussed on the news channels against the Baba’s movements: 1. Baba fled away wearing woman dress and leaving his followers to face the police atrocities. 2.The wealth built by Baba Ramdev in short span of time. 3.The stage shared by some leaders who are supposed to involve in communal activities in some period of time 4. A Guru should be confined to his own area of interest i.e. Sanyas and teachings. 5. Wearing saffron colour and sitting on Dharna. We indeed have the attitude to find out only the mistakes and drawbacks as a first thing instead of appreciating the efforts taken and sacrifices done. When a person earns name and fame, then we try to pull out by finding some of his mistakes and misdeeds done either intentionally or happened by mistake. There is a common example, we all would have heard that when a white cloth is pasted on a wall with a small black dot in the centre, then people will mainly discuss about the black spot, forgetting that the area under black colour is far smaller than the area under white colour. The individual making such comments forget or does not know that Baba Ramdev travelled all over India for more than 1 year to make people aware about corruption and black money. I am not a big fan or devotee of Baba Ramdev but I really like the way he brought up the Indian Yoga and ancient Ayurvedic treatment to the forefront of the world. He dreamt to make people rid of all the disease without spending huge money in hospitals. Hospitals and doctors can be visited only on fractures and accidents. He dreams India should rely more on indigenous (Swadeshi) techniques. He proved that aerated soft drinks are similar to toilet cleaner like Harpic. He encourages all to go for fruit juices, milk, curd etc instead of the cold drinks like Pepsi and Coke. He tells that one day people will move towards Indian values. Coming to his criticism which people make against him are: 1. Baba ran away disguised in woman’s dress: The common approach to squash any revolution is to crush the main leader associated with it. U.S.A spent in billions to kill Osama Bin Laden, Sri Lanka claimed its win on LTTE only when they found the body of the leader Prabhakran. The death of Jay Prakash Narayan, and Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose brought a sudden end to the revolution associated with them. Hence, the strategy to save the spirit of revolution is to save the leader from the oppressor at any cost. This is supreme expectations from followers to make their leader safe at any cost without bothering for their own life first. Hence, any form of disguise is fully acceptable to save the leader from atrocities. 2.The wealth built by Ramdev in small span of time: No one will deny the fact that Baba became famous in a very small span of time as so many people got the benefits from his Yoga and Ayurvedic treatment. Baba started to manage the spread of Yoga and Ayurvedic products all over the world without any advertisement cost. The ease and quickness with which he reached to the people led to the quick emergence of his yogic and Ayurvedic Empire. This does not seem strange at all, there are instances where numerous MNC companies entered in India and built huge wealth in a very small width of time. Depending on how fast, they reached to the large consumer base of India, they built their wealth quickly. Today the government has ordered CBI to inquire the criminal records, Income Tax department to find out missing tax and other departments for other purposes in the Baba’s empire. Definitely they will get some loop holes to knock down this man from the heart of his followers. Even if the government goes against India’s big companies like Reliance, Infosys, Wipro; they can surely get the loopholes their also to prosecute them, if the intention is to find out the loop holes. 3.Baba Ramdev’s crusade against corruption is political and communal: Many journalist and news channels pointed the presence of Sadhavi Pitambhra as a communal face in this crusade as she is supposed to be involved in Babri Masjid Demolition case. Some even suggested that Baba should have come in white dress instead of Saffron one. Sometimes I do not understand why all the group like RSS, ABVP, Vivekananda Trust, Shiv Sena, Bajrang Dal, VHP etc which have Hindu ideology and culture are always attacked as communal organization by our government. If Hindus and organizations with Hindu ideology are really having communal motive, then India would not have been a secular country for so long since independence. India is a secular country and it’s not because of Indian law and constitution but because Hindus are in majority here. Anyway, here I want to say that what if I am a criminal or murderer. I may have my own personal motive behind my personal involvement towards any unwanted incident. Does all this make me out of the involvement in any process which is for the betterment of India? Does this snatch my right or duty to make India free of corruption? 4. A Guru should be restricted to his Sanyas or teaching only: We all are taught that for us the prestige of country stands first and then our religion or any personal duties or desires. If our country is in shambles, none of our job is better or bigger than working for the nation. Those who say that only the politicians have the duty to think about the betterment of nation and rest of the Indians should make themselves confined in their work should go back in to the history of India and find out who made India free of the Britishers. I remember the dialogue of Sunny Deol from a Hindi Movie Indian in which he loudly says that I am an Indian first, when his colleagues remind him that he is on his duty and taking such action is against his uniform or duty. There were Sathi Pratha, Prada System , Child Marriage, Untouchablity etc as major threats of the society like corruption in modern India. These evils also retarded the growth of the some section of the society as the corruption does today. Reformers like Swami Vivekananda, Swami Dayananda, Rajaram Mohan Roy, Vidyasagar and many others came forward and they travelled deep down the villages and almost eradicated the evils from the society. Though there were government laws, no one can forget the contributions of those swamis and reformers which proved more fruitful than the legal action of the government. There is no point in saying that Baba should remain limited to his particular job only and just to see the degradation of the country as a mere spectator even though he can do something at his level. If the country is under threat, the first and foremost duty of every Indian is to save the country from threat and then only the individual want comes. Whatever I said above may not be ample and digestible for some of the readers. I know you would have concluded that I am biased and have leaning towards Baba Ramdev. I would like to agree that I really like this sanyasi from other sanyasis or spiritual gurus who merely talks on their subjects only and avoid commenting on controversial topics. Baba gives clear opinion on whatever he believes right or wrong instead of just giving a diplomatic answer and avoiding the controversial topic. Even if someone is against Baba Ramdev, thinking some of his actions are questionable and he is not the fit person to lead India against such a movement, then one should know that he is not asking for the support of his personal motive. This fight is against the corruption and Black Money. A fight in which all will be benefitted if won. A fight in which India and Indians will gain if won. Better not to divert the issue by unnecessary calling it a political and communal. This is the time someone dared to fight against the mighty corruption and corrupt people. We all need to support and the support should not be only in the form of sending sms, giving miscalls, clicking the like button on facebook, simply registering on the particular website to show our support. Sitting in the home and doing these activities will hardly make an impact. Our physical presence is required. We need to show up on the streets, the way people have shown their presence on the fast of Anna Hazare and Baba Ramdev. There is a proverb that evil will not go easily, they will fight back. We should not lose our patience and think that our countrymen who are in power have crushed our movement and we are no more in position to fight with the powerful corrupt people of the government. May be we are only one step behind the success. Aim should not be lost; we need to fight with more vigor and strength. We all have to fight this war. This is the same issue which we have discussed in our school and college days and felt ashamed for our country. This is the same issue on which we have got several sms and chain mails with the conclusion that India is low and inferior in comparison to other countries. This is the same issue on which several cartoonists have drawn their cartoons and several students would have written the essays. Several IAS Aspirants would have given their opinion and would have written in long. This is the same issue which has been highlighted in almost 30% of our Bollywood movies. Let’s not stop. Let’s not discuss who is right Annaji or Ramdevji. Let’s not think of their integrity and history. Let’s provide them energy by our support, mostly physical. As they are demanding strict action against the corrupt and culprits, so they will also fall on the same axe if they are also the culprit and their intention is different than what they are saying. http://motishkumar.blogspot.com/2011/07/ramlila-maidan-witness-of-shameful-act.html?spref=fb COURTESY BY SHREE MOTISH JI